The spat between the owners and the supporters at Hull that split the club apart, leading to minimal investment in the playing staff before the season, and the calamitous Ellis Short regime at Sunderland were accidents waiting to happen.

But, it shouldn't have befallen Middlesbrough. Not as limply as this.

They have a fantastic Chairman, they say. He is by all accounts a loyal, pleasant man, but he hasn't done a very good job this season.

Middlesbrough aren't short of experience. Steve Gibson has been here before. Promoted in 1992, relegated in 1997, promoted in 1998, relegated in 2009. Chairman since 1994, he should have performed better.

An hour after the end of a dismal last home game, during which the Middlesbrough fans called for their own goalkeeper to be sent off, Gibson gave a radio interview outlining his thoughts on the season.

He used words like "heartbreaking", said "the recruitment policy was not what we thought" and promised to "smash the division" next year. Good luck.

It's been nothing short of a disaster and he has to shoulder the blame.

How a man involved in Middlesbrough for 30 years allowed Aitor Karanka to keep his job after walking out last March, when it was clear he had fallen out with the players is astonishing.

Those rifts obviously never healed as George Friend hinted last week, and they waited until this March to sack him.

It is the Chairman who signs the cheques and as he admits himself, they made too many mistakes bringing in players. Adama Traore is raw and unproven. Despite the wages Bamford and Gestede aren't Juninho and Ravenelli. Middlesbrough signed two goalkeepers nobody else wanted, and paid £12million for Marten De Roon.

Gibson also said he never considered anyone else other than Steve Agnew when replacing Karanka. Well he should have. He's not got the personality or ruthlessness of, for example, Craig Shakespeare.

Karanka's side were poor going forward but at least they could defend. On Saturday they were all over the place. Especially Fabio, who seems to think the role of a full back is carried out in central midfield.

Middlesbrough were only promoted from the Championship last season (Image: PA)

Calum Chambers reacts to Boro's relegation (Image: Alex Livesey)

There was awkward moment when the Middlesbrough fans turned on the team and sung the name of Aitor Karanka. The goalkeeping coach Leo Percovich, who I'm told has previous when it comes seeking the limelight, reacted by angrily gesticulating at the crowd, prancing around in the technical area, demonstrably pointing to Agnew and slapping him on the back.

It was cringeworthy and it undermined rather than supported the bewildered Head Coach. He looked embarrassed. Quite rightly, he's won one game, and Middlesbrough have been relegated. Hardly the saviour, as leaping Leo seem to be indicating.

On the evidence of recent goalkeeping performances Percovich should concentrate on his day job.

Boro have only won a single game under Steve Agnew (Image: Getty Images Europe)

The crowd were getting on the players back with good reason. Middlesbrough were 2-0 down in their final home game of the season. A campaign in which they had been relegated, won once in 23 Premier League games and scored less goals than anyone else in all four English divisions.

This hasn't crept up on them, it's been coming for a while.

"We're in a good financial stable position, we should have more resources going into next season than any other club."

"The only place I want to be is in the Premier League," Steve Gibson said.